The overall objective of the Basic Science Core is to enhance HIV/AIDS research by providing state of the art sic science technologies in a cost efficient manner. We will: 1) Provide basic science services, which include those related to molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology and virology. The molecular biology and biochemistry components of the core will be primarily located at UIC in the Research Resources Center, the Center for Structural Biology and the laboratory of the core's director, Michael Caffrey. The immunology component of the core will be primarily located at RUMC in the laboratory of Alan Landay, the D-CFAR Director. The virology component of the core will be primarily located at RUMC in the laboratory of James Bremer, the co-Director of the core. 2) Provide training and advice for the use of these techniques to graduate students, post doctoral associates, and principal investigators. 3) Encourage interaction and collaboration between users of the core. Monthly workshops on the theory and practice of the techniques available in the Basic Science Core will be sponsored. All D-CFAR members and their laboratories will be encouraged to attend. 4) Develop the Basic Science Core of the D-CFAR into a Basic Science Core of a CFAR. The Basic Science Core will strive to adapt to D-CFAR members needs by encouraging feedback on services provided, quality of service, cost of service, and suggested new services. Efforts will be made to expand the number of users. The Basic Science Core will be directed by Dr. Michael Caffrey and will be co-directed by Dr. James Bremer from RUMC. Dr. Caffrey is currently a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at UIC. His research interests are focused on the structure and function properties of HIV and AIDS-related proteins. He has expertise in wide variety of experimental techniques that are important for HIV/AIDS research including: molecular biology, cell biology, virology, protein purification, protein characterization, drug discovery, and structural biology. Dr. Bremer is a tenured Professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology and Director of the Virology Quality Assurance Laboratory at RUMC. His laboratory has extensive experience in the techniques of clinical virology.